Shoe racks



C. K. LOWE June 7, 1966 SHOE RACKS I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10, 1964 waEKiIiZ/EZTOR BYANLW M ATTORNEYS June 7, 1966 c. K. LOWE 3,254,354

SHOE RACKS Filed Jan. 10, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PI W I 1 w L, w-

ATTORNEYS June 7, 1966 c. K. LOWE 3,2

SHOE RACKS Filed Jan. 10, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet. 5

INVENTCR c4400: Klan/5,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,254,354 SHOE RACKS ClaudeK; Lowe, Box 832, Midland, Tex.

Filed Jan. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 337,028

2 Claims. (Cl. 1253.7)

This invention relates to shoe racks. More particularly, this invention relates to adjustable shoe racks having a plurality of shoe trees mounted thereon.

In the past, shoe racks have been available with shoe trees for storing shoes in a stretched condition. However, the shoe trees used in combination with these old racks do not usually lend themselves to convenient installation of shoes on the rack nor do they always provide a proper shoe stretching action. One type of these old racks incorporates a shoe tree comprised of toe and heel members connected by an elongated leaf spring. Installation of a shoe on such a rack requires both hands and much manipulation to reach around the interfering rack, insert the toe portion of the tree in a shoe, steady the tree relative to the rack, and bend the leaf spring to bring the heel member of the tree into position in the heel of the shoe.

It is an object of this inventiontoprovide a rack for commercial display or domestic storage of shoes that maintains such shoes in an elevated position from the floor and that requires a minimum of space.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rack, a shoe carrying portion of which is adapted to be rotated to a position that is convenient for installation of shoes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shoe tree rack having trees fixed thereto which are resiliently compressible, both longitudinally and transversely, to provide for convenient installation of shoes thereon and a proper stretching action to shoes so installed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a shoe rack which permits convenient, one handed installation of shoes thereon. I

To achieve these objects, the present invention provides a shoe rack having a base, a shoe tree mounting member connected to said base and adapted to be rotated relative thereto, a plurality of shoe trees fixedly connected to said mounting member, each of said shoe trees comprising a compressible toe portion and a heel portion, and

spring-loaded connecting means slidably and compressibly connecting said toe and said heel portions and urging said heel portion away from said toe portion in a longitudinal direction.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front, elevational view of one embodiment of a shoe rack of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional side view taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3' is a cross sectional, top view of the toe portion of the shoe tree ofthe present invention taken along line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front, elevational view of a modification of the shoe rack of this invention, a portion thereof being broken away; I

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional, side view of the shoe rack shown in FIGURE 4 and taken along line 5-5 thereof; 4

FIGURE 6 is a front, elevation view of another modification of the shoe rack of this invention, a portion thereof being broken away; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional, side view of the shoe rack shown in FIGURE 6 and taken along line 7-7 thereof.

Referring in more detail to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the present invention provides a shoe tree carrying hub 1 rotatably mounted on a shaft 2 and retained thereon ice by pins4 or the like. The shaft 2 is provided with a base member 6 having apertures 8 for convenient installation of the rack on a wall, door, or the like. Fixedly mounted about the periphery of thehub 1 and rotatable with the hub to any convenient location for shoe installation are a plurality of shoe trees 10, the longitudinal axis of each being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 2. Each shoe tree 10 comprises a heel portion 12 having a fixed leg 14 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tree. nected at its inner end to the hub 1. Also provided in the heel portion 12 is a longitudinal bore 16 slidably receiving a stretcher bar 18 having slots 20 in the sides thereof. A coil spring 22 is positioned in the bottom of the bore 16 so as to urge the stretcher bar 18 outwardly of the bore 16, the stretcher bar 13 being retained in the bore by pins 24 or the like projecting through the heel portion 12 into the slots 20.

As shown in detail in FIGURE 3, a toe portion 26 of v the shoe tree 10 is comprised of two half sections 28 and 30 with resilient spacer elements 32 such as rubber washers, springs, or the like, positioned between the half sections. The space between the half sections 28 and 30, and therefore theoverall tree width, may be altered by varying the number or width of the resilient spacer elements 32 to accommodate different size shoes on the tree. Bores 34 are provided in the half sections 28, 30 and in the spacer elements 32'to receive threaded connectors 36, or the like, which resiliently connect the half sections of the toe portion 26. Rear faces 38 and 40 of the half sections 28 and 30, respectively, are provided with semi-circular recesses 42 to receive loosely the forward end of the stretcher bar 18 which is pivotally retained therein by a pin 44 or the like to provide a limited hinging action between the toe portion 26 and the stretcher bar 18 about the pin 44.

Because the spring 22 acts to resiliently urge the toe portion 26 longitudinally away from the heel portion 12, not only is a shoe properly stretched in a longitudinal direction but also ease in installation of a shoe on the shoe tree is enhanced. Similarly, the feature of this invention wherein the toe portion 26 is transversely compressible by virtue of the provision of the resilient spacer compressed, the heel of the shoe may be swung upwardly to engage the heel portion 12 of the tree 10. Because the heel portion 12 is stable by virtue of its fixed connection to the hub 1, engagement of the shoe with the heel portion -12 of the tree may be accomplished with ease. Further, because any given tree 10 may be rotated with the hub 1 to any position convenient to installation of a shoe thereon, there is no need to reach around the shoe rack to an incommodius location of a tree. The hub may berotatably advanced until the particular tree is accessible.

A modification of this invention, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, provides a plurality of shoe trees 10, as previously described, the heel portions 12 of which are fixedly mounted along a horizontally extending mounting bar 46. The bar 46 has a square cross section. Mounting brackets 48 are provided, each having a square bend 50 conforrn- The leg 14 is fixedly conshoe installation by merely longitudinally sliding the square bar 46, removing the ends of the square bar 46 from the square bends 50 and reinserting the bar in a different rotational position.

Although a single bar 46 is shown, it should be noted that a plurality of bars 46 may be supported so that the longitudinal axis of the bars are positioned along a single horizontal line. Further, it is within the scope of this invention to provide any desirable mounting-bracket arrangement to support the shoe trees and mounting bar on a surface in the manner suggested herein.

In a further modification shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the present invention is incorporated in a standup rack 54. In this modification a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending, square, shoe tree mounting bars 46 are provided, each having a plurality of shoe trees 10 fixedly mounted along the length thereof. Any of the mounting bars 46 of this modification are interchangeable with the bar 46 of the modification shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The forward face of each of the end members 55 of the rack 54 is provided with a series of vertically spaced notches 56 the sides of which form a right angle. These notches, together with right angle brackets 57 fixed to the end members 55 form square apertures to removably receive and support the ends of the mounting bars 46. Legs 58 are pivotally connected to the end members 55 by hinges 60 and pivot arms 62 or the like. The lower ends of the end members 55 and legs 58 are provided with feet 64, each foot having an aperture 66 for receiving a connector to attach the rack toa supporting surface. This modification also permits shoe tree orientation relative to the remainder of the rack to be rotationally altered by removing, rotating and reinserting the shoe tree mounting bars 46 in the square apertures of the rack 54.

By the provision of a longitudinally and transversely compressible shoe tree the heel portion of which is fixed to a rack, each of the forms of the present invention heretofore described provides a shoe tree rack which not only offers proper stretching action of shoes mounted thereon but also provides for easy, one-handed installation of shoes on the rack. Further, because the orientation of the shoe trees relative to the rack and the supporting surface may be rotationally altered, the trees may be positioned in the most convenient location for shoe installation.

Various other modifications and alterations will suggest themselves readily to persons skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that the foregoing be considered as exemplary only, and that the scope of the invention be ascertained from the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe rack having a base member, a shaft fixedly extending from said base member, a hub, means rotatably mounting said hub on said shaft, a plurality of shoe trees fixedly mounted about the periphery of said hub, each of said shoe trees comprising a toe portion and a heel portion, means fixedly connecting said heel portion to said hub, and connecting means including an elongated stretcher bar means having a longitudinal axis, means slidably connecting said bar means to said toe portion and said heel portion, and coil spring means, said coil spring means being compressible in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said bar means and biased for urging said toe portion axially away from said heel portion when a shoe is mounted on said tree.

2. A shoe rack according to claim 1 wherein said toe portion includes first and second half sections, and resilient connecting means compressibly connecting said first and second half sections for compression in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of said stretcher bar means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,130 3/1910 Fellows 211 1,583,784 5/1926 Erickson 211-37 1,712,984 5/1929 Dustan 211-37 2,173,934 9/1939 DeWitt 12-115.8 2,452,689 11/ 1948 Sheppard 125 3 .7 2,879,527 3/1959 Davis 12ll5.8 2,973,867 3/1961 Cohen 21137 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

P. D. LAWSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SHOE RACK HAVING A BASE MEMBER, A SHAFT FIXEDLY EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE MEMBER, A HUB, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID HUB ON SAID SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF SHOE TREES FIXEDLY MOUNTED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID HUB, EACH OF SAID SHOE TREES COMPRISING A TOE PORTION AND A HEEL PORTION, MEANS FIXEDLY CONNECTING SAID HEEL PORTION TO SAID HUB, AND CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED STRETCHER BAR MEANS HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, MEANS SLIDABLY CONNECTING SAID BAR MEANS TO SAID TOE PORTION AND SAID HEEL PORTION, AND COIL SPRING MEANS, SAID COIL SPRING MEANS BEING COMPRESSIBLE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BAR MEANS AND BIASED FOR URGING SAID TOE PORTION AXIALLY AWAY FROM SAID HEEL PORTION WHEN A SHOE IS MOUNTED ON SAID TREE. 